Marquette, Mich. - The Ferris State University football team saw
its five-game winning streak come to an end on Saturday (Oct. 16)
as the Bulldogs suffered their first Great Lakes Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference (GLIAC) loss of the season with a hard-fought
22-20 conference setback to the Northern Michigan Wildcats in
Marquette.

The Wildcats' Rockne Belmonte converted three field goals on the
day, including a game-winning 31-yard try with only 4:16 remaining
in the contest before a crowd of 3,773 fans at the Superior
Dome.

Ferris dropped to 5-2 overall and 5-1 in conference play with a
showdown looming next week versus archrival and nationally
top-ranked Grand Valley State in the Anchor-Bone Classic at FSU's
Top Taggart Field.

"We're very disappointed. We've been kind of rolling the dice and
winning in these tight games," Ferris head coach Jeff
Pierce. "(Saturday) was a day we were not able to pull
that off. We didn't execute the things we needed to execute to beat
a good football team."

NMU struck first on the first drive of the game as John
Privitelli scampered in from two-yards out to finish a 66-yard
opening march, which gave the Wildcats a 6-0 edge following a
missed PAT.

Ferris, however, answered as Tyler
Thomas capped a 60-yard FSU drive on the Bulldogs'
first possession with a 23-yard dash to the endzone, giving the
Dawgs a 7-6 lead.

Northern Michigan regained the advantage with only 3:06 to play
in the first frame on Privitelli's 13-yard TD pass out of the
backfield to Dustin Brancheau.

FSU moved back in front 14-13 in the opening minute of the
second quarter on Aaron
Olman's six-yard scoring reception from junior
quarterback Tom
Schneider as the Bulldogs drove 70 yards in eight
plays.

The defenses tightened on both sides from there on out as the
two teams combined for only a single touchdown after the first
minute of the second stanza.

The Wildcats built a 19-14 lead on a 51-yard field goal from
Belmonte with 10:58 to play in the first half followed by a
27-yarder at the 11:14 mark of the third frame.

Ferris marched 62 yards in seven plays midway thru the third
period to take a 20-19 edge on Schneider's 33-yard touchdown pass
to junior receiver Mike
Ryan.

That score stood up until the final five minutes of the contest
when NMU took advantage of a 20-yard punt return by Privitelli
coupled with a personal foul against the Bulldogs to take
possession at the FSU 21-yard line. The Wildcats managed only
seven yards in three plays before Belmonte's 31-yarder for the
final score.

Ferris moved the ball inside Wildcat territory on its final
drive before turning the ball over on downs and the Wildcats were
able to run out the clock.

FSU outgained the Wildcats in total offensive yards with 306
compared to 229 for NMU. Ferris had 116 rushing yards on 36 carries
with NMU rushing for 120 yards on 37 attempts.

Schneider completed 21-of-28 passes for 190 yards and two scores
in directing the Bulldogs' offense. He was intercepted once
as the Bulldogs turned the ball over twice with both miscues coming
in the initial half.

Meanwhile, freshman quarterback Jacob Hicks was 11-of-16 in the
air for 96 yards in his first career start for NMU, which did not
turn the ball over in the game.

Privitelli ran for a game-high 135 yards on 24 tries with
Brancheau grabbing six receptions for 78 yards.

Thomas led FSU with 66 rushing yards on 10 carries and Ryan
caught six passes for 76 yards in pacing the Bulldog receivers.

Ferris junior Tayo Moss had
a team-high 10 tackles for the Bulldogs with Zach Pierson
registering a game-best 14 stops for NMU.

The Wildcats improved to 4-3 overall and 4-2 in conference play
while snapping a two-game losing skid. They also improved to
3-0 inside the dome this season.

Ferris State hosts GVSU in next Saturday's (Oct. 23) Anchor-Bone
Classic with kickoff set for 2 p.m. (EDT) at Top Taggart
Field. Tickets will be sold at the stadium starting two hours
prior to kickoff.

"We'll bounce back and if (the Bulldogs) can't get ready for next
weekend then there's something wrong," Pierce said. "It's not going
to be hard to get them back and get them focused."